A Little Book of Eternal Wisdom [20]
in bitterness of
heart. Woe, everlasting woe to those who shall have to expect so great a
calamity!
Lord, all this is a profound mystery to my heart, and yet Thou sayest
that Thou art so gracious and so good.
Eternal Wisdom.--I am the immutable good, and subsist the same and am
the same. But that I do not appear the same, arises from the difference of
those who view Me differently, according as they are with or without sin. I
am tender and loving in My nature, and yet a terrible judge of evil deeds. I
require from My friends childlike awe, and confiding love, in order that awe
may restrain them from sin, and love unite them to Me in faith.
CHAPTER IX. The Second Thing.--Why God, After Rejoicing The Heart, Often
Withdraws Himself From His Friends, By Which His True Presence is Made Known
The Servant.--Lord, all has been explained to my heart's satisfaction,
except one thing. In truth, Lord, when a soul is quite exhausted with
yearning after Thee and the sweet caresses of Thy presence, then, Lord, art
Thou silent and sayest not a word. O Lord! ought not this to grieve my
heart, that Thou, my tender Lord, Thou who art my only one love, and the
sole desire of my heart, shouldst yet behave Thyself so strangely, and in
such a way hold Thy peace?
Eternal Wisdom.--And yet do all creatures cry aloud to Me that it is I.
The Servant.--O dear Lord! that is not enough for a languishing soul.
Eternal Wisdom.--If every little word I utter is a little word of love
to their hearts, and every word of the Sacred Scriptures written by Me is a
sweet love-letter, as though I Myself had written it, ought this not to be
enough for them?
The Servant.--O Lord, Thou knowest well that to a loving heart
everything that is not its only love and its only consolation, is
insufficient. Lord, Thou art so very intimate, choice, and fathomless a
love; lo! if even all the tongues of all the angels were to address me, love
unfathomable would still pursue and strive after Him alone whom it longs
for. A loving soul would still take Thee for the kingdom of heaven, for
surely Thou art her heaven. Alas! Lord, may I venture to say that Thou
shouldst be a little more favourable to such poor affectionate hearts as
pine and languish for Thee, as breathe out so many an unfathomable sigh to
Thee, as look up so yearningly to Thee, crying aloud from their very hearts,
Return to us, O Lord! and speaking and reasoning with themselves thus: "Have
we cause to think we have angered Him, and that He will forsake us? Have we
cause to think He will not give us His loving presence back again, so that
we may affectionately embrace Him with the arms of our hearts, and press Him
to our bosoms till all our sorrow vanish? Lord, all this Thou knowest and
hearest, and yet Thou art silent!"
Eternal Wisdom.--I know it and see it with heart-felt eager joy. But
now, since thy wonder is so great, answer Me a question. What is that which,
of all things, gives the most delight to the highest of created spirits?
The Servant.--Lord, I would fain learn this from Thee, for such a
question is too great for my understanding.
Eternal Wisdom.--Then I will tell Thee. Nothing tastes better to the
very highest angel than, in all things, to do My will; so that if he knew
that it would tend to My praise to root up nettles, and other weeds it would
be for him, of all things, the most desirable to perform.
The Servant.--Ah, Lord, how dost Thou strike home to me with this
question! For surely Thy meaning is, that I ought to keep myself disengaged
and serene in joy, and seek Thy praise alone, both in sorrow and delight.
Eternal Wisdom.--A desertion above all desertion is to be deserted in
desertion.
The Servant.--Alas! Lord, but it is a very heavy woe.
Eternal Wisdom.--Where is virtue preserved except in adversity? Yet
know that I often come and ask for admission into my house, and am denied.
Often am I received like a poor pilgrim, and meanly entertained, and
speedily driven
heart. Woe, everlasting woe to those who shall have to expect so great a
calamity!
Lord, all this is a profound mystery to my heart, and yet Thou sayest
that Thou art so gracious and so good.
Eternal Wisdom.--I am the immutable good, and subsist the same and am
the same. But that I do not appear the same, arises from the difference of
those who view Me differently, according as they are with or without sin. I
am tender and loving in My nature, and yet a terrible judge of evil deeds. I
require from My friends childlike awe, and confiding love, in order that awe
may restrain them from sin, and love unite them to Me in faith.
CHAPTER IX. The Second Thing.--Why God, After Rejoicing The Heart, Often
Withdraws Himself From His Friends, By Which His True Presence is Made Known
The Servant.--Lord, all has been explained to my heart's satisfaction,
except one thing. In truth, Lord, when a soul is quite exhausted with
yearning after Thee and the sweet caresses of Thy presence, then, Lord, art
Thou silent and sayest not a word. O Lord! ought not this to grieve my
heart, that Thou, my tender Lord, Thou who art my only one love, and the
sole desire of my heart, shouldst yet behave Thyself so strangely, and in
such a way hold Thy peace?
Eternal Wisdom.--And yet do all creatures cry aloud to Me that it is I.
The Servant.--O dear Lord! that is not enough for a languishing soul.
Eternal Wisdom.--If every little word I utter is a little word of love
to their hearts, and every word of the Sacred Scriptures written by Me is a
sweet love-letter, as though I Myself had written it, ought this not to be
enough for them?
The Servant.--O Lord, Thou knowest well that to a loving heart
everything that is not its only love and its only consolation, is
insufficient. Lord, Thou art so very intimate, choice, and fathomless a
love; lo! if even all the tongues of all the angels were to address me, love
unfathomable would still pursue and strive after Him alone whom it longs
for. A loving soul would still take Thee for the kingdom of heaven, for
surely Thou art her heaven. Alas! Lord, may I venture to say that Thou
shouldst be a little more favourable to such poor affectionate hearts as
pine and languish for Thee, as breathe out so many an unfathomable sigh to
Thee, as look up so yearningly to Thee, crying aloud from their very hearts,
Return to us, O Lord! and speaking and reasoning with themselves thus: "Have
we cause to think we have angered Him, and that He will forsake us? Have we
cause to think He will not give us His loving presence back again, so that
we may affectionately embrace Him with the arms of our hearts, and press Him
to our bosoms till all our sorrow vanish? Lord, all this Thou knowest and
hearest, and yet Thou art silent!"
Eternal Wisdom.--I know it and see it with heart-felt eager joy. But
now, since thy wonder is so great, answer Me a question. What is that which,
of all things, gives the most delight to the highest of created spirits?
The Servant.--Lord, I would fain learn this from Thee, for such a
question is too great for my understanding.
Eternal Wisdom.--Then I will tell Thee. Nothing tastes better to the
very highest angel than, in all things, to do My will; so that if he knew
that it would tend to My praise to root up nettles, and other weeds it would
be for him, of all things, the most desirable to perform.
The Servant.--Ah, Lord, how dost Thou strike home to me with this
question! For surely Thy meaning is, that I ought to keep myself disengaged
and serene in joy, and seek Thy praise alone, both in sorrow and delight.
Eternal Wisdom.--A desertion above all desertion is to be deserted in
desertion.
The Servant.--Alas! Lord, but it is a very heavy woe.
Eternal Wisdom.--Where is virtue preserved except in adversity? Yet
know that I often come and ask for admission into my house, and am denied.
Often am I received like a poor pilgrim, and meanly entertained, and
speedily driven